‘Bandits should be declared terrorists’

Musa Gambo

The greatest lesson we refused to learn with regards to banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria is our inability to comprehend that the mass kidnapping of more than 300 Kankara school boys is a declaration of war against the sovereignty of Nigeria by bandits.

The failure to handle the  previous Kankara kidnapping with an iron hand is largely responsible for the continuous rampage of banditry and the recent Niger school boys incident, no person has been convicted or declared wanted for the Kankara case. All that the public knows is that the boys are safely released.

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The usual story of kidnappers releasing victims without ransom is no longer believable. It is not enough to think bandits risk their lives to make it to the headlines of newspapers or international media. Bandits are doing this as business and it does not make sense to think that they would stop when amnesty is granted to them.

At the moment, they feel they are above the law and they cannot bend, therefore the law should not be bent for them. Amnesty is frankly not the right strategy here, as it might entails giving them more money which they would use to get more weapons and continue their inhuman onslaught.

Amnesty comes into play when people have regretted their actions and are remorseful. Banditry has grown stronger to the extent of imposing tax to villagers in some areas.

Bandits have killed and abducted several people within a month in Nigeria in addition to more those who lost their lives over the years.

Amnesty worked in Niger Delta region because they were fighting for a cause and their issues have been relatively addressed, the idea is when someone is agitating for a reason there are chances that things can be talked out and acceptable solution found by all parties but the big question is what are these bandits fighting for?

Bandits should be declared terrorists. Kidnapping more than 300 citizens in school is terrorism and Nigeria never had any issues declaring other sects such as Biafra agitators and the IMN movement as a terrorist, we expect the same courtesy for these criminals.

They should be crushed with all might until they call for amnesty. They seem to only understand the language of guns and bullets or ransom money.

The utterance of the Minister of Defence on the issue of banditry for villagers to defend themselves is a supreme disappointment. I do not agree with idea of state policing due to fear of influence by the state powers but it is even a better idea than calling for locals with machetes, bows and arrows to confront bandits with AK47.

We have internationally trained security outfits with outstanding records of performance across Africa and the Interpol, surely with the rights weapons and strategies, this banditry would be a thing of the past. The best contributions of the villagers would be in intelligence gathering and prayers. The Senate’s suggestions of declaring a state of emergency in the country is a good way in moving forward to ensure a safe Nigeria.

We pray for the safe return of  the Kagara boys and the other victims kidnapped by these ruthless people, our prayers are with the brave men and women who stay awake and always on their way searching for this perpetrators of violence so we can live in peace.

Musa Gambo can be reached on [email protected]